Display character module for changeable copyboards

ABSTRACT

A display character module for changeable copyboards including a three element assembly of a front plate having an image display portion, a back plate detachably engageable with the front plate and an image bearing sheet disposable therebetween. The front and back plates can be separated to enable ready replacement of the image bearing sheet. Means are included for mounting the display character module to flat panel type displays having slotted hanger tracks. In addition, other means are shown for mounting the display character module to other types of changeable copyboards.

United States Patent [191 Schubert June 24, 1975' DISPLAY CHARACTER MODULE FOR CHANGEABLE COPYBOARDS [75] Inventor: Wilfried Schubert, Bensenville, I11.

[73] Assignee: National Advertising Company,

Bedford Park, 111.

221 Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 398,074

[52] US. Cl. 40/140; 40/125 R [51] Int. Cl. G09f 07/08 [58] Field of Search. 40/140, 142 R, 10 R, 125 R, 40/132 D, 132 R, 156, 200, 201,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,067,636 7/1913 Balm 40/140 1,602,418 10/1926 Slater 40/140 X 2,682,125 6/1954 Coffield 40/140 3,407,525 10/1968 Connell 40/140 3,531,884 10/1970 Adler 40/140 3,593,447 7/1971 Winegarten 40/130 R 3,727,333 4/1973 Ward et al. 40/10 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 239,865 9/1925 United Kingdom 40/140 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant ExaminerJohn F. Pitrelli Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Merriam, Marshall, Shapiro & Klose 5 7] ABSTRACT A display character module for changeable copyboards including a three element assembly of a front plate having an image display portion, a back plate detachably engageable with the front plate and an image bearing sheet disposable therebetween. The front and back plates can be separated to enable ready replacement of the image bearing sheet. Means are included for mounting the display character module to flat panel type displays having slotted hanger tracks. In addition, other means are shown for mounting the display character module to other types of changeable copyboards.

7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJIJN24 I975 3, 8 T28 SHEET 1 FIG! PATENTEDJUM24 m5 SHEET 1 DISPLAY CHARACTER MODULE FOR CHANGEABLE COPYBOARDS This invention relates to changeable copyboard type display systems and more particularly to an improved changeable display module for displaying characters, i.e., letters, numerals, pictures or other indicia.

At the present time there is in common use various types of display apparatus in theform of changeable copyboards, each of which contain a background or frame structure, and changeable characters mounted to the background by various means. The most commonly used changeable copyboards are as follows:

I. A system in which block characters are formed with upwardly and outwardly extending slots in a side wall of the characters. Hanger bars either attached or formed as a part of the background frame angularly protrude from the background so that the changeable letters are mounted by engaging the slots in the characters with the hanger bars. This type of system is disclosed, for instance, in various patents, by way of example reference may be made to US. Pat. No. 2,270,711.

2. A system utilizing changeable block characters in which a series of metal or plastic clips attached to the characters engage suitably formed hanger bars attached to the backgrond. An example of this type of system is shown in US Pat. No. 2,956,360.

3. A system in which a character is usually screen printed onto the back surface of a flat, transparent plate and the plate is inserted between and held by a slotted top and bottom track attached to the background frame structure. Reference may be made to U.S.v Pat. Nos. 3,407,525 and 3,531,884 which illustrate this type of system.

In all of the above described types of display systems, the user of the changeable copyboard must initially purchase the characters needed, and if he wishes to obtain new characters, the character itself, i.e., either a block character or the flat plate type character, must be purchased in its entirety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

7 In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a versatile display character module comprising a two part assembly for receiving andsupporting an image bearing sheet. The display character module subassembly includes a front plate with a transparent portion and a back plate detachably engagable with the front plate and the subassembly including means for mounting same to a changeable copyboard background. In use, the front and back plates are disengaged for receiving and supporting a thin film upon which has been screen printed the display image. The front and back plates are then placed in locking engagement so to form the completed display character module assembly.

-In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the display character module assembly includes respective means for mounting the module on any of the standard changeable copyboard systems presently in use as described previously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of display module with one blank module mounted on a display backgound;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a display module in accordance with the invention mounted between the standard top and bottom tracks f adisplay back- 1 ground;

FIG. 3 is an exploded, perspective view of a display module illustrating the front plate, back plate, and film image;

FIG. 4 is a partial elevational view of a back plate maintained in position on a front plate with snap in holding means;

.FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative hanging arrangement for the display modules including a series of brackets mountable to the back plate of a display module;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view, partly in section illustrating the display module embodiment of FIG. 5

mounted on an alternative track system;

' FIG. 7 is a fragmented plan view, partly in section illustrating construction details of the bracket construction of FIGS. 5 and 6; I

FIG. 8 illustrates anotheralternative hanging arrangement for the display modules including oneof a group of alternative brackets mountable to the back plate of a display module;

FIG. 9 partly in section illustrates the display module embodiment of FIG. 8 mounted on an alternative II" shaped track system;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of an alternative display module embodiment of the invention including slots for locating each element;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a further alternative embodiment of the invention including alternative means for properly locating each element; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the alternative display module embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference may now be made to FIGS. 1-4 wherein the novel display character module of the present invention is illustrated in detail. FIGS. 5-9 illustrate alternative hanging embodiments in accordance with an-,

In the exploded view of FIG. 3, there is illustrated a novel display character module 10 which includes a subassembly front plate 12 and back plate 14 with a thin sheet of film 16 disposable therebetween and containing a display image 18. Standard well known processes such as for instance screen printing can be used for placing the image 18 on the thin plastic film 16. Any other well known technique may be utilized as well. Preferably, the front plate 12 is formed of a transparent plastic material such that there is provided an image display portion 20 through which a viewer may observe the image 18 on -sheet 16. In the alternative, the plate 12 may contain a transparent portion 20 bounded by opaque or translucent portions.

The front plate 12 includes an indexing corner memher 22 shaped to register with the corner 24 of sheet 3 gage complementary shaped edges 32, 34 within the top and bottom sides of plate 12.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, a detachable locking engagement between the back plate 14 and front plate 12 is provided by means of a series of tips 36 protruding from the inner surfaces 38 on opposite sides of the front plate 12 and within the cavity 26. The width of the back plate 14 as defined between the sides 40, 42 is constructed to be slightly less than the width of cavity 26 defined between front plate sides 38, 39 but slightly greater than the shortest distance between the outermost edges of the protruding tips 36. Thus, upon placement of back plate 14 into cavity 26 within front plate 12, the sides 40, 42 depressingly engage the series of protruding tips 36 so as to form a detachable locking engagement with front plate 12. The plates can be detached by flexing the assembly, thereby flexing the sides 40, 42 of back plate 14 to remove the locking engagement of the sides with the protrusions 36. The back plate can then be simply removed from cavity 26. A new sheet of film 16 can then be inserted into the module subassembly.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the mounting and assembling of the novel display character module of the present invention in one of the types of systems described previously. In particular, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a changeable copyboard background or frame 44 including a series of slotted tracks 46 and 47 mounted thereon. As shown in FIG. 2,'the tracks 46 and 47 form respective top and bottom holding tracks for the display character module 10. It is understood, of course, that the changeable copyboard background or frame 44 and the tracks 46 and 47 comprise standard, well known systems of the type presently in use with a flat type display character as indicated previously. The top track 46 normally has a longer leg portion than the bottom track 47, as illustrated (see FIG. 2), such that the flat display characters may be lifted under the top leg of track 46 and then dropped into place on bottom leg 47.

The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 incorporates means for utilizing the present invention with the flat type display system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In particular, the module shown in FIG. 1 includes extensinos 48 and 50 extending from opposite sides of the front plate 12 and constructed such that the top extension 48 is slightly longer than the bottom extension 50. Thus, the module 10 may be mounted on the copyboard 44 by lifting the module such that the top extension 48 is inserted under the leg portion of top track 46, The module 10 is then placed against the back of the copyboard such that back plate 14 is contiguous therewith and the module is dropped down into place onto bottom track 47. The completely mounted position is shown in FIG. 2 wherein it can be seen that the top extension 48 is maintained by the top track 46 and the bottom extension 50 is maintained by the bottom track 47. As is further shown in FIG. 2, the extensions 48 and 50 on front plate 12 protect the image bearing sheet 16 from rain, snow, etc. since the cavity 26 holding the sheet faces the rear of the copyboard when the module 10 is mounted in position. A series of display modules 10 and a single module subassembly 52 (without sheet 16 or with a sheet 16 devoid of any image) are illustrated in side by side mounting in FIG. I. In particular, it may be noted that the module subassembly 52 formed of front plate 12 and back plate 14 without an image provides a self spacing feature on the changeable copyboard. As shown in FIG. 3, an aperture 54 is provided in the top extension 48 for convenient hanging storage of the module subassemblies when not in use. A series of small protrusions on the rear surface of back plate 14 may be added to prevent abrasive contact of the rear surface on the copyboard. This prevents marring the surface. The protrusions may also be used as locations for brackets to be described hereinafter.

It is to be realized that a sufficient advantage of the present system is in the reduction of the amount ofstorage space required for the changeable letters. The module subassemblies 52 can be maintained on the copyboard at all times, serving as self spacers. It is only then necessary to store the films 16 which characteristically can be only 3 mils thick.

This provides a significant savings in storage space even as compared to the present flat display type systems presently in use. As an example, a 300 font of presently existing flat letters would be a little over 37 inches high, whereas a 300 font of films 16 as in the present invention would stack to a height of less than 1 inch.

Referring now to FIGS. 57, there is illustrated another aspect of the present invention wherein the display character module of the present invention can be utilized in connection with another of the commonly used display systems described previously. In particular, the display module can be formed of a similar front plate 12 and display image sheet 16 as well as a back plate 14. However, there is mounted onto back plate 14 a series of brackets 55 formed of a U-shaped block 56 attached, such as by cementing, to the back plate 14 and a detachable bracket portion 58 slidably engageable with the block 56. The detachable bracket portion 58 includes an angled slot 60 which is adapted and sized to engage an angled leg portion 62 of hanger bars 64 as illustrated in FIG. 6 during mounting of these alternative display modules.

If desired. the detachable bracket portion can be constructed with a configuration so as to contain an H- shaped slot for engagement with a similarly shaped hanger in another display system currently in use. As shown in FIG. 8, an alternative detachable bracket portion 68 is slidably engageable with the block 56 and sized such that the display module 10 can be mounted on an H-shaped hanger 70 (see FIG. 9). Thus, the present invention is extremely versatile in utilization with a variety of presently existing display systems.

Referring now to FIGS. 10-42, there is illustrated alternative constructions for a display character module in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In particular, as shown in FIG. 10, a front plate 72 includes a slot 74 in beveled edge 76. A slot 78 is provided in a sheet of film 80 bearing an image 82. Back plate 84 also includes a slot 86 on beveled edge 88. The respective slots 78 and 86 and beveled edge 76 aid in providing proper registration of the display module components during assembly and can be used as an alternative to the indexing corner member 22 and corner 24 shown in FIG. 3. The slot 86 in back plate 84 is particularly useful when utilized with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 59 to insure proper disposition of the blocks 56 for mounting the display module.

Still another alternative construction for the display module of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 11

and 12. A front plate 90 includes a transparent display portion 92 bounded between the upraised sides of plate 90. A downwardly depending leg portion 94 at the top of back plate 90 defines a top slot 96. A bottom upwardly extending portion 98 defines a bottom slot 100. As is shown in FIG. 12, the top leg 94 is slightly longer than the bottom leg 98 such that top slot 96 is longer than bottom slot 100. A thin sheet of film 102, containing an image 104, and front plate 106 are each sized in length such that they each may be inserted upwardly into top slot 96 and dropped down into bottom slot 100 during assembly of the display character module embodiment shown in FIG. 11 into locking engagement. Image bearing sheet 102 is replaced by removing back plate 106 from locking engagement with front plate 90. Corner indexing elements 108, 110 and 112 respectively enable proper registration of the components during assembly. When assembled the entire display character module may be mounted on a standard changeable copyboard of the type shown and described previously in connection with FlG. 2. Thus, the assembled display module of FIG. 11 is lifted up and under track 46 of changeable copyboard 44, placed against the copyboard and dropped down into lower track 47. A pair of protrusions 114 extend from the bottom of front plate 90 so as to maintain bottom edge 116 slightly raised from the bottom of track 47. This aids in minimizing any problems which might be causedby any accumulated dirt, moisture, etc. in the bottom of track 47 tending to otherwise prevent ready removal of the display module from the changeable copyboard. Such protrusions may also be used in connection with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 for the same purpose. The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A display character module for changeable copyboards, said character module comprising:

a front plate with a transparent image display portion defined within top, bottom and side portions of said front plate;

an image bearing carrier sheet disposable adjacent said display portion within said front plate side portions;

a back plate superimposable over said image bearing carrier sheet, said back plate including a pair of oppositely beveled edges for engaging said top and bottom portions of said front plate;

a plurality of projections on said front plate side portions projecting inwardly over said image display portion from two opposite sides of said front plate;

said back plate having a width slightly greater than the distance between said projections but slightly less than the distance between said two opposite sides of said front plate to enable a detachable i locking engagement of said back plate and said projections; and

mounting means on one of said plates for mounting said module on said changeable copyboard.

2. A display character module according to claim 1, including registration means for enabling proper registration of said front plate and said image bearing sheet.

3. A display character module according to claim 2 wherein said registration means includes a corner member located within one corner of said front plate and a corner detached portion in said image bearing sheet, said corner member and corner detached portion conforming to enable registration of said image bearing sheet on said front plate.

4. A display character module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said registration means comprises a slot in said front plate at one end thereof and corresponding projections at one end of said back plate and image bearing sheet, said projections engageable in said slot to enable proper registration of said front plate, image bearing sheet and said back plate.

5. A display character module according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises bracket means including at least one bracket mounted to said back plate.

6. A display character module according to claim 5, wherein said bracket includes a detachable portion.

7. A display character module for flat panel type displays having slotted hanger tracks, said display character module comprising:

a front plate with a transparent image display portion defined within top, bottom and sides of said front plate;

longitudinal extensions on either end of said front plate for detachable mounting to said slotted hanger tracks;

an image bearing carrier sheet disposable adjacent said display portion within said front plate side portions;

a back plate superimposable over said image bearing carrier sheet, said back plate including a pair of oppositely beveled edges for engaging said top and bottom portions of said front plate;

a plurality of projections on said front plate side portions projecting inwardly over said image display portion from two opposite sides of said front plate;

said back plate having a width slightly greater than the distance between said projections but slightly less than the distance between said two opposite sides of said front plate to enable a detachable locking engagement of said back plate and said projections; and

mounting means on one of said plates for mounting said module on said changeable copyboard. 

1. A display character module for changeable copyboards, said character module comprising: a front plate with a transparent image display portion defined within top, bottom and side portions of said front plate; an image bearing carrier sheet disposable adjacent said display portion within said front plate side portions; a back plate superimposable over said image bearing carrier sheet, said back plate including a pair of oppositely beveled edges for engaging said top and bottom portions of said front plate; a plurality of projections on said front plate side portions projecting inwardly over said image display portion from two opposite sides of said front plate; said back plate having a width slightly greater than the distance between said projections but slightly less than the distance between said two opposite sides of said front plate to enable a detachable locking engagement of said back plate and said projections; and mounting means on one of said plates for mounting said module on said changeable copyboard.
 2. A display character module according to claim 1, including registration means for enabling proper registration of said front plate and said image bearing sheet.
 3. A display character module according to claim 2 wherein said registration means includes a corner member located within one corner of said front plate and a corner detached portion in said image bearing sheet, said corner member and corner detached portion conforming to enable registration of said image bearing sheet on said front plate.
 4. A display character module as claimed in claim 2, wherein said registration means comprises a slot in said front plate at one end thereof and corresponding projections at one end of said back plate and image bearing sheet, said projections engageable in said slot to enable proper registration of said front plate, image bearing sheet and said back plate.
 5. A display character module according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises bracket means including at least one bracket mounted to said back plate.
 6. A display character module according to claim 5, wherein said bracket includes a detachable portion.
 7. A display character module for flat panel type displays having slotted hanger tracks, said display character module comprising: a front plate with a transparent image display portion defined within top, bottom and sides of said front plate; longitudinal extensions on either end of said front plate for detachable mounting to said slotted hanger tracks; an image bearing carrier sheet disposable adjacent said display portion within said front plate side portions; a back plate superimposable over said image bearing carrier sheet, said back plate including a pair of oppositely beveled edges for engaging said top and bottom portions of said front plate; a plurality of projections on said front plate side portions projecting inwardly over said image display portion from two opposite sides of said front plate; said back plate having a width slightly greater than the distance between said projections but slightly less than the distance between said tWo opposite sides of said front plate to enable a detachable locking engagement of said back plate and said projections; and mounting means on one of said plates for mounting said module on said changeable copyboard. 